Forme Peak Trail 2ELS

A town bike that can manage longer rides out into the country should the urge take you

E-bikes are bringing cycling to a wider audience. We know that the assistance offered by an electric motor means riding a bike needn’t be a struggle, no matter what your fitness level. But adding a motor also means that even those used to riding can go further more easily and, with the Peak Trail 2ELS, Forme has created a bike ideally suited to this type of rider.

The open frame means there’s plenty of unobstructed space between the rider and the handlebars. This removes the need to swing a leg up and over the back of the seat to get on the saddle, and is ideal for anyone lacking flexibility. It also makes it easier to get your feet down when stationary, which helps to boost rider confidence.

The Peak Trail’s construction is in keeping with the user-friendly design, as the frame is made from aluminium to keep the overall weight low and handling responsive. The oversized tubing also houses a 500Wh battery that should give the bike a range of up to 97km (60 miles) between charges. Obviously the exact distance you manage will depend on how much assistance you use, but it should certainly be enough for extended day trips or multiple shorter uses between charging.

The motor is a mid-mounted unit and, like the battery, comes from the well-respected manufacturer Bafang. That alone makes the pricetag seem pretty reasonable.

By comparison, the bike’s eight-speed derailleur gearset comes from Microshift, while Clarks provides the hydraulic disc brakes. Neither brand has the cachet of better-known rivals such as Shimano or Sram, although they work perfectly well.

They also help keep the overall price down while allowing space in the budget to include a Suntour suspension fork for added rider comfort, plus integrated lights, mudguards and a useful rear rack.

 £2,100

 formebikes.co.uk